6 Ways to Re-Energize Your Weight Loss Plan

Has your weight loss stalled? Here are some of the reasons why.

By Corine Gatti

We begin the road towards our weight-loss dream again, and this time there is a fierce determination to remain on track. An estimated 80 percent of people could potentially gain all the weight they lost within a year. Maybe you fit the description, but you are not going to quit, no matter what the stats suggested, and good for you. Many become very passive after they make a mistake or totally give up when they gained inches back. When we approach weight loss with an all-or-nothing mentality when our diets get off track, it creates more of a problem--and most just walk away in disgust.

If you have been teetering on giving up on your goals, don’t. Yes, the odds are against you in this sometimes up and down journey of having a great body, but take solace you are not alone. Look at Actress Kirstie Alley, who lost 70 pounds and gained it all back. Her weight has been a topic in gossip tabloids for years. Onlookers believe it was her yo-yo dieting, but Alley returned to the task again and lost the weight she gained. She said that people who usually gain the weight back are embarrassed because they feel they have failed. "I would just say, come on back home on home. Don't be embarrassed. It happens to the best of us,” Alley said according to reports. Do not just take her word, devise a plan that fits your lifestyle, and tailor it accordingly. The foundations of dieting never change, however. Methods like starving yourself, portion control, and indulging in too much sugar are always important reminders of what sabotages us when we diet. Here are 6 tips to help you loose weight.

Do not starve yourself.

Now that you started--there may be an urge to no eat! Makes sense if you want to lose weight, right? Slow down, it will have the opposite results. However, the brain is clever! If it and your body believe you are starving it, there will be an increase in fat stored. Also you will start overeating to compensate for the time you did not eat, and this will cause you to gain. Doing this will mess up the metabolism, and impact workouts at the gym as you will have no energy to hit the treadmill. What should you do? Measure out portions, eat small meals, and limit food intake during dinner. You don't want steak and potatoes after a work day, eat lighter at night.

Start to become more active.

If you don’t have time to go to the gym, trying walking and build on your pace. Again, the brain is hard to trick, and if deems exercise as a chore or another thing on the to-do list, it will kick and scream telling the body to hang up your sneakers. Give yourself an award for going to gym like a frozen yogurt treat at the end of the week or think of exercise as a way to even become happier. Think endorphins! Find a friend to workout with, walk the dog, or take the stairs at work. Don't just sit and think about. Make a list on what activities you can fit into your schedule, or what you love to do. Take just a small step today, you can do it. It all will add up each day.

Plan a menu ahead.

Plan your food week ahead to avoid overeating snacking in-between meals. This will make life simple and help you not go for the quick meals. People that do this eat less during the day due to portion control. Prepare meals on Sunday and label them for everyday of the week. This can be a healthy casserole, grilled chicken salad, or steam vegetables prepared ahead of time. Also prepare for the work week. Keep pumpkin seeds, apples, yogurt on hand, and a low calorie soup handy when you feel the urge to snack at your desk. Additionally, cut up vegetables, fruits and bag it in the refrigerator at work.

Reduce the intake of sugar.

We know sugar is not good for the body and can stall weight loss. Sugar can also make you hungrier. An average American consumes about 60 pounds of sugar a year. It comes from vitamin waters, soft drinks, and the amount of sugar added into your tea and coffee we drink daily. Over a week this can really add up, and excess sugar makes you hungry. Sugar fuels depression, and puts you at a higher risk for heart issues, and is poison to the system in excess.

Get more sleep.

Lack of sleep could be impeding weight loss goals. When you are exhausted, you go for the sugar drinks and for the caffeine. You will also eat more by going for high-fat, high-carbohydrate foods. Sleep deprivation dulls the activity in the frontal lobe, and slows the body. "Get less than eight hours, and your body will react in ways that lead even the most determined dieter straight to Ben & Jerry’s,” WebMD shared. Sleep can dull the mind, increase the risk of depression, heart disease, obesity, and can also lower sex drive. If sleeping is an issue see your doctor.